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Ready for its close-up: Rebuilt Alabama offensive line set for its 2013 debut

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Alabama offensive lineman Cyrus Kouandjio (71) leads off the offensive line in wall-popping during the Crimson Tide's seventh preseason football practice of the 2013 season, Wednesday, August 07, 2013, at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Vasha Hunt/vhunt@al.com)

AJ McCarron enters his third year as the Crimson Tide's starting quarterback. Running back T.J. Yeldon and wide receiver Amari Cooper already have 1,000-yard seasons under their belts. The starting tight end, H-back and a slew of the Crimson Tide's wide receivers are juniors and seniors who have already proven they can handle the bright lights and big stage of Alabama football.

Every listed starter is a junior or senior. The 2012 MVP (C.J. Mosley), the team's leader in tackles for loss and sacks (Adrian Hubbard) and one of the nation's best safeties (HaHa Clinton-Dix) are all present and accounted for.

It all adds up to the reason why Alabama's rebuilt offensive line -- comprised of five individual players, but viewed as one, solid entity -- has been at the epicenter of fans' nerves heading into Saturday's season opener against Virginia Tech. There are veterans sprinkled across this unit who are as reliable as the aforementioned ones, but three players -- Arie Kouandjio, Ryan Kelly and Austin Shepherd -- will make their first career start against the Hokies.

It's showtime.

"When you have new players at any position, you're always anxious to see
how those players sort of respond to the challenge, take the bull by the
horns," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "Can they be a guy that goes out there and delivers?

"I think that's why there's talk about them in the beginning in terms of
their performance. Lots of times, some players practice well and they
get in the game and they don't play quite as well. There's other players
who practice OK but then they always play a little better in the game."

Throughout the preseason, Saban has alluded that Alabama "may have a different type of team" because of its surplus of talented running backs and wide receivers. The Crimson Tide doesn't require its offensive line to be as dominant as it was at the end of last season, but it needs a reliable unit if it hopes to be "more explosive" on offense in 2013.

"I think it's going to be critical that the good players, whatever side of
the ball they're on, need to play well," Saban said. "I think that sets a good
example, sets a standard for everyone else and makes your team better."

For starters, the two members of this group who have already proven capable of adhering to this standard are as reliable as any in college football.

This could very well be left tackle Cyrus Kouandjio's last season at Alabama. The junior started all 14 games in 2012 and seemingly got better with every snap. At 6-foot-6 and a well-positioned 310 pounds, he has all of the tools NFL scouts love in left tackles.

"These guys, psychologically as they mature, they understand how they can
take the standard a little higher and they're capable of doing even
more," Saban said. "I think Cyrus has always been a really good player but he's a guy
that's now driven to be the best player that he can be and he's worked
really hard."

Right guard Anthony Steen was the unheralded member of last year's line, collecting little post-season recognition while Chance Warmack, Barrett Jones and D.J. Fluker stockpiled certificates and trophies. But Steen did something no other Alabama offensive lineman could claim. He wasn't directly responsible for any of the 23 sacks Alabama surrendered.

The honors have slowly piled up for the soft-spoken Mississippian heading into his final year. He was a first-team selection on the media's preseason All-SEC team and a fourth-team selection on Phil Steele's All-American team.

Steen, who is rarely asked to talk about himself, has been one of the group's lead voices throughout the preseason. So, too, has Kelly, who has been groomed for his role at center since he filled in for Jones during Alabama's BCS National Championship practices.

"All the new stuff we just built, that's driving me," Steen said, referring to the Crimson Tide's new player-friendly facility. "We have a certain hallway that's just for first-rounders. That makes me want to be on that wall. I think they see that, too. I told them if they want to be up there, they got three or four years to do it."

With Steen set to leave after the season, this current version of the Crimson Tide offensive line is all that matters at the moment. Establishing and maintaining chemistry has been imperative -- so much so that the line went back to its original formation after a one-week experiment that was designed to maximize Arie Kouandjio's abilities.

After Alabama's first preseason scrimmage, Saban ripped into the group for its inability to generate enough push in the running game. At Alabama's next practice, Kouandjio was lined up at right tackle and Shepherd had moved to left guard.

"We feel like he's one of our best offensive linemen now," Saban said of the elder Kouandjio after the initial switch. "He's really
done a good job. He's played tackle all of his life. We actually moved
him to guard because we thought maybe because of his knees that it would
affect his mobility, but as he improved we said, 'Why aren't we playing
this guy at tackle?'"

After the Crimson Tide's second scrimmage, Shepherd and Kouandjio were back in their original spots and have remained there ever since.

“It’s been a little
difficult," Steen said. "Shepherd has a little different footwork than Arie, but
it’s nothing I can’t adjust to. Arie was a little different at power blocking
than Shepherd was and he was a little different than Shepherd was at pass
protection, but it wasn’t anything too difficult.

"I wish our chemistry was a little more tight with each other, but that will
come along once the season starts. hopefully."

That's what Saban is banking on.

"We have total confidence that all those guys can do a good
job at what they do," Saban said. "But I think game experience is what gives guys the
confidence to be able to trust and believe in doing it and knowing that
it's going to be the best way they can have success. So how far along
these guys are in doing that, we'll see in the game.

"Do I expect this offensiveline
to play well in this game? Absolutely. Do I think they'll have an
opportunity to improve and do better as they gain knowledge and
experience and chemistry of playing together? Absolutely is the answer
to that as well."

Breaking down the Crimson Tide's rebuilt O-line

Cyrus Kouandjio

Cyrus Kouandjio, Jr.

Position: Left tackle

Experience - Started all 14 games in 2012.

The word on Kouandjio - Projected to be one of the best in the
nation at his position. Could be a top five selection in 2014 NFL Draft
if he leaves after junior year.

Arie Kouandjio

Arie Kouandjio, Jr.

Position: Left guard

Experience - Played in two games as a reserve in 2011. Saw the field regularly as a reserve in 2012.

The word on Kouandjio - One of Alabama's top feel-good stories, as
he's recovered from multiple knee surgeries to land in the starting
rotation and play next to his younger brother.

Ryan Kelly

Ryan Kelly, So.Position: CenterExperience - Played regularly as a reserve last season whenever Alabama built a big lead.

The
word on Kelly - Gained valuable first-team repetitions throughout the
Crimson Tide's BCS National Championship preparations while Barrett
Jones rested his injured foot. Added close to 10 pounds during the
offseason.

Anthony Steen

Anthony Steen, Sr.

Position: Right guard

Experience - Started nine games in 2011 and all 14 in 2012.

The
word on Steen - An unheralded member of last year's line, he was the
only player not to allow a sack all season. Considered to be one of the
best at his position in the SEC.

Austin Shepherd

Austin Shepherd, Jr.Position: Right tackleExperience - Has been Alabama's backup right tackle for the past two seasons, seeing action in 17 games.

The word on Shepherd - Has been patient over the years before landing this starting spot. Can play both guard and tackle.